Tis the Season.

Christmas is my favorite holiday, for many reasons.  I love the lights, music, and holiday parties.  I love that it is a time to show family and friends how much you care about them.  I love that Christmas creates a season centered on giving and a holiday spirit that can be felt just about anywhere.

I came across this video today and I think it is the coolest way to spread Christmas cheer!  Take a look:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152489854472061&fref=nf

This video helped me to realize how much power an act of service can have!  I want to spend my holiday season creating good memories and great feelings, just like in this video clip.

Cell Phones & Social Media.

Have you ever noticed how often people are on the cell phones or on a social media site during the day?  Have you ever noticed the amount of time that you spend on your cell phone or on social media during the day?  Whether I am walking around town, walking to school, driving my car, or sitting on the bus, people around me are always on cell phones and social media websites.

I can't help but ask myself what happened to normal conversations.  What happened to just walking and looking at your surroundings.  What happened to people watching and deep thinking instead of using your cell phone during any spare moment you have.  I think it’s sad that we are constantly on technological devices.  We are missing out on the opportunity to meet new people or share a smile.  I feel like technology runs our lives sometimes!
Over the last few weeks I have been working on spending my spare time in other places.  I’ve been able to write in my journal, read, and spend more time in conversations with my family and friends to say a few.  I do enjoy social media, but I know my time can be much more productive in other places.  I have learned to enjoy and appreciate the things around me even more since I have spent less time on my cell phone and social media.

Thankful.

Have you ever noticed that a beautiful day begins with a beautiful mindset?  If you wake up and already have the mindset that it’s going to be a tough day, chances are that your day is going to be tough.  If you wake up and decide that it’s going to be a great day, chances are that it is going to be a great day.  Think about how your day would change if you were to take just one minute every morning and think about the things that you are thankful for.  Think about the blessings that you have and how it is a privilege just to be alive and healthy!  Sometimes I take my health for granted and forget just how blessed I am to have eyes that see, ears that hear, and a mind that allows me to learn new concepts in school.  I take the roof over my head, the heat that keeps me warm, and the food that keeps me full for granted.  Sometimes I even forget to think about the blessing that it is to have a family that loves and cares for me.  Especially with thanksgiving right around the corner, I am going to take a minute every day to count my blessings and realize just how blessed I really am.

Define Yourself.

Last week in one of my classes, we were asked to write down the things that made up who we are.  Many of the responses that were given were based on outward appearance.  Some examples of the responses are white, ethnic, tall, short, Mormon, Catholic, volleyball player, dancer, runner, brunette, blonde, sister, brother, democrat, republican, etc.  This assignment got me thinking about what truly defines me.  Is it my hair color or my body size?  Is it the clothes that I wear or the sports that I play?  Is it the political party that I agree with?  Why are those the words that everyone chooses (including myself) to define who we are?

I know that the things that matter most are on the inside, so I asked myself the reason why I define myself based on outer characteristics. I am not sure exactly why I define myself in those ways when people ask, but from now on I am going to work hard on describing myself through inner characteristics.

Take a Deep Breath.

We were assigned to give in-class presentations individually, and I was assigned to give mine on the first day that presentations were given.  We would give a five-minute presentation four times, but to a different audience each time.  I was nervous and did my best to practice as much as I could over the weekend so that I felt prepared.  Even after my preparation, I did not know if I had prepared in the “right” way and I felt nervous that I would mess up and get a bad grade.

I arrived to class early on the day of my presentation to make sure that I could find the correct room and to make sure that I would not be flustered for my first presentation.  I was able to set up my flip chart and go over my notes one last time before I started.

My first presentation was a little rough.  The audience could tell that I was nervous and I felt a little embarrassed because I knew that I could do better.  That’s when I decided that before the next few presentations, I would just take a deep breath and slow down so that I could think clearly and give the presentation to the best of my ability. The next few presentations were much better than the first, and I believe it is simply due to the fact that I was able to relax right before.  I took a deep breath; I tried not to think too hard about what I would be doing because I knew that I had prepared enough to give a great presentation.

Although I can apply the feedback that I was given to the next presentations I give, I can also apply what I learned about myself to my everyday life.  If I can just take a deep breath and try to relax before I do a challenging or stressful task, I know that I will perform better.  I will be able to think clearly and it will help me to perform to the best of my ability.

Dependable.

This week, I have learned the importance of being dependable. There was a scenario at work that ended up being quite stressful because one employee did not show up for a work shift like she was supposed to (we will call her employee A). Unexpectedly, another employee (we will call her employee B) had to work a double shift in order to cover for employee A. Employee B had to stay for the double shift because if she was not there, we would have had only one employee on staff. In order for our job to be done correctly, we need at least two employees at all time. This all could have been avoided if employee A had let everyone know in advance that she could not make it to work, or if she had found someone to cover her shift beforehand. I understand that sometimes things come up last minute, but if possible it is always a good idea to let co-workers know in advance when there is a problem.

 To be dependable means to be trustworthy and reliable. It is important to be dependable so that things can get done efficiently and there are not mix-ups. For one to be dependable they must be responsible for their own actions and they must be willing to take action when a task needs to be done.

This situation has taught me to make sure that I am always taking responsibility for my own actions and to always own up when I make mistakes. This situation taught me to look at things from my co-workers’ perspectives and to take a look at how my actions will affect everyone around me. I know I am not perfect, but I can always put forth a great effort to make sure that I do not cause any issues at work.

Everyone Has a Story.

Have you ever felt like you cannot understand why someone acts the way that they do?  Have you ever judged someone, and then later heard their story and realized that your assumptions were completely wrong?  I know that I have.


A couple of years ago, I heard a quote that has not left my mind, and I hope that it never does.  It said, “There isn’t a person you wouldn’t love if you could read their story.”  How many times have you listened to someone’s background story and decided that you did not love them for who they are?  Your answer is probably similar to mine, and my answer is never.  When you listen to someone’s life story, you start to understand why they make the decisions that they do.  You start to recognize that if you had grown up in their exact same household, had their exact same life experiences, and had their exact same strengths and weaknesses that you would turn out to be the EXACT same way that they are.  


A couple semesters ago, I had a classmate who I was put into a group with named “Joe.”  I had a really hard time understanding Joe because he did things that I found to be inappropriate for class.  For instance, Joe would raise his hand in the middle of a lecture and ask the professor if he wanted any of the extra peach slices that Joe had leftover from his breakfast.  Joe would also come into class late, panting and out of breath, and announce to the entire class why he was late.  He was hardly ever discreet about anything else that he had to do such as taking off his coat or picking up a dropped pencil.  Much of the class found Joe to be irritating; I hate to say that I did as well at first.  Just a few short days into the semester though, I realized that I needed to change my attitude or else I would feel miserable during this particular class.  This is when I found that quote and my perspective completely changed.  I learned to enjoy and accept Joe and his quirks.  I knew that he was doing the best that he could for his circumstances.


There isn’t a person that you wouldn’t love if you could read their story . . .